2021 - MOTION 4 -
Assure Mental Health specialists in operational strategies and destigmatize Mental Health care among decision makers
MOTION
Mental health specialist professionals with regional experience - when available in the context - must be included in the decisions on interventions related to this specialty and thus be systematically inserted in the planning and implementation of operations carried out from the beginning. In order to destigmatize Mental Health care and to ensure full understanding of the relevance of the participation of these professionals, MSF decision makers in the field should be instrumentalized with a broader, more integrated and culturally sensitive vision regarding mental health and psychosocial care role in projects, considering local, regional and national specificities.
Background and explanation to the motion
FEEDBACK
The Mental Health referent and the referent for Survivors of Torture and Psychiatry have been appointed by the OCB Medical Director to act as focal points for the implementation of this motion and to report to the OCB board.
Main topics discussed so far:
- As a rule, whenever a new project is intended to be opened, the medical referents including MH referents are informed and can give inputs. It is a way to advocate and call attention to the importance to include mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) component in certain projects.
- MH Referents serve as ambassadors and take part and/or provide input in several working groups in OCB HQ, such as nutrition, SRH, etc. which helps to integrate transversally MHPSS in interventions related to those subjects.
- Currently, a majority acknowledges the importance to have MHPSS component in the projects, nonetheless how to do it remains a challenge. Some decision-making people on the ground, are more knowledgeable about mental health and supportive to the integration of such component, others don't.
- The inclusion of MHPSS content in preparatory trainings to MedCos, HoM and other decision-making profiles was discussed as a possible way to better prepare those profiles to understand and support the integration of MH in projects. Also, the face-to-face briefings with MH Referents aim to serve this cause. It would also avoid disruption or difficulties on MHPSS activities when MedCos/PMRs/FieldCo/HoM... changes.
- Regarding the cultural aspects stated in the motion: "more integrated and culturally sensitive vision regarding mental health and psychosocial care role in projects". MSF Policy for MHPSS affirms that mental health care should be adequate to the cultural aspects, the assessment and activities designed must consider the culture.
- With respect to the "Mental health specialist professionals with regional experience - when available in the context - must be included in the decisions on interventions related to this specialty and thus be systematically inserted in the planning and implementation of operations carried out from the beginning.". Again, the MHPSS policy and the MSF MHPSS guidelines reinforce the need to involve local mental health expertise (e.g. professionals, community leaders, etc.) in order to better assess the needs, understand the conception of mental health and illness present, traditional and community coping in the community so that a most suitable intervention is designed. Nonetheless, throughout the development of the project the inclusion of local expertise to guide the strategic decision-making for MHPSS activities varies.
Overall, at HQ level, the understanding and inclusion of MHPSS component in the projects, considering cultural aspects and local expertise is acknowledged as important and emphasized through the work of MH referents and reflected in guiding documents.
On the other hand, challenges remain to ensure it will be translated into practice in the projects, as those aspects - MH integration, cultural adaptation, consideration of local experts/professionals - are (among other things) person-dependent.